Alumni of old Heath School enjoy reunion

ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX (October 29, 2014) Alumni of the old Heath School came together once again for great food, fun and memories during the Annual Heath School Reunion inside the Community Room of the Heath City Hall on Saturday.

Members of the old Heath School, a two-story white-wood building which housed grades 1-8 back when it was built in the early 1900s, had a wonderful time swapping stories and laughs as they recalled times past. I was the youngest person in the room, no doubt, but the camaraderie, stories, history and food were all top notch and I had a lot of fun learning about what life in Heath was like back in the day.

Speaking with the alumni in attendance, I learned that baseball was a popular pastime of the school children, and that Heath’s traveling baseball team was the best in the county, and perhaps the state. In fact, whenever the team would play ball on the field nearby the school (now the soccer field next to City Hall), everyone in town was there in attendance to cheer on the team. People would sit on the hoods of their cars and watch all the action.

Longtime Heath resident and Heath School alumna Ada Abernathy said she really enjoyed her younger years growing up in Heath, and that all of the local families, including the Lemleys and the Myers, would often throw parties in front of their homes. Ada said huge parties were always put together on Halloween, although not much trick-or-treating went on due to residents living so far apart from one another.

“It was just a lot of fun,” Ada said.

Even though the trick-or-treating was scarce, mischief was still abounding on those Halloween nights. Twin sisters Glenda and Linda Huse, who both attended the old Heath School, relayed a story about how after one of the Halloween parties a group of boys managed to hoist a wagon and place it on top of Fred Lawrence’s drug store, one of the most popular businesses at the time due to its soda fountain and ice cream parlor.

According to several Heath School alumni in attendance, perhaps the best part of the annual reunion is the feast. Attendees were invited to bring their favorite dish, and they most certainly didn’t disappoint, with an array of delicious entrees including chopped brisket, broccoli cheese casserole, fried chicken and fruit salad. Numerous desserts including chocolate pie and pecan caramel bars were also on hand to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.

After the meal, door prizes were given out to all who picked a winning ticket number. Those whose raffle ticket number wasn’t called weren’t left in the lurch, however. Jars filled with treats were handed out to them as well, because at the Heath School Reunion, everyone’s a winner!

I for one found the event thoroughly enjoyable and also very informative, as I’m currently working on a book which tells the history of the city through old photographs of its longtime businesses, landmarks, and residents. If anyone reading this might know where I may get a hold of some old vintage photographs of anything related to Heath’s history (old family photos, photos of some of the old businesses in Heath, ect.) that I may use for my book, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or phone at wells.austin88@yahoo.com or 214-534-1851.

Story and photos by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News reporter. 

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